State shows patience with exotic animal owners

5:40 AM,
Nov. 17, 2012

Written by

Russ Zimmer
CentralOhio.com

Ten days after the deadline to register privately owned exotic animals in Ohio passed, the Ohio Department of Agriculture is declining to release a full list of owners and animals because many of the 11th-hour submissions are missing key information.

On Oct. 31, the agriculture department provided a then-current list of owners who had come forward, what animals they owned and where they were located - although only 36 individuals had come forward at that point. On the afternoon of deadline day, Nov. 5, the department released an early count of 130 owners who claimed 483 animals.